Commercial pressures have succeeded in inflating Christmas into an event of some importance in Greece, with both shops and private dwellings displaying strings of lights, erecting Christmas trees and playing secular Christmas songs. The phenomenon is recent, having grown mainly over the past 15 years or so, and it is Easter that remains the primary event of the Orthodox calendar. It is the time when families return to their villages of origin, go to Church and eat large quantities of roast lamb on Easter Monday – although fewer and fewer families can afford to buy a whole lamb to roast on the spit as was formerly the tradition.
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The Chania Carnival returns to Souda
The Chania Carnival at Souda is coming back stronger than ever after an absence of two years due to the pandemic, according to an announcement by the Municipality of Chania, with the great carnival parade scheduled for Sunday 19th February 2023.
The official announcement was made at a press conference at Chania town hall attended by the deputy mayor for Culture Giannis Giannakakis, the deputy mayor responsible for Souda Michalis Tspoupakis, the Regional Councillor for Chania Giannis Manousakas, the president of the local community of Souda Dimitris Klothakis, the president of the Businessmen’s Association of Souda Marios Gelasakis, and the deputy chairman of the Cultural Association of Souda Lefteris Kokkogiannakis.
The Chania Carnival, which is once again being organised by the municipality of Chania, the KEPPEDICH-KAM and the Regional Authority of Crete in collaboration with Businessmen’s Association of Souda and the local Cultural Association, this year has a theme taken from Cretan mythology. Inspired by the history of the Souda area and in particular Aptera, it is being given the title “Sirens and Muses”, though interpreting the theme is not obligatory for participants.
“Our source of inspiration is the mythology of the area of Aptera, where the Muses lost their wings and, becoming wingless, gave their name to our best-loved area in the community of Souda,” said the deputy mayor for Culture Giannis Giannakakis. [In Greek, the word ptera or ftera means wing or feather so aptera does indeed mean wingless.]
The opening ceremony of the Carnival was held on 8th February with the appearance of the Carnival King, followed by a concert with Giorgos Tsalakis. Throughout the carnival period there will be activities at the Mikis Theodorakis Theatre and the KAM (Megalo Arsenali), while the festival of Apokries will culminate with the grand parade in Souda on Sunday 19th February.
Mr Giannakakis announced that there will be activities and events throughout the Municipality of Chania as well as in the city centre, mainly aimed at children and families.
Deputy mayor Michalis Tsoupakis said that the emphasis will be on safety for all the participants: “Our aim is that the Carnival should be a safe one, that there should not be excessive consumption of alcohol, and we call on all Chania residents and visitors, young and old, to support us in having fun, having a good time, but also taking care.”
In conclusion, the president of the Businessmen’s Association of Souda Marios Gelasakis thanked the Carnival’s sponsors and organisers and announced that information and updates about the event can be found on the “Chania Carnival at Souda New” group on Facebook.